Berlin. Fuelled by its significant past, the mix of historic sites and modern culture is evident around every corner. A city combined, Berlin bridges the gap between new and old. The Eastern Bloc architecture contrasts to your average European city, embracing it’s regeneration after the war. The freshness of freedom is apparent in its acceptance, but its heritage is not left forgotten. There is something for everyone with this honest, step-by-step, studentorientated guide. So what are you waiting for? Grab yourself a currywurst and live Berlin.

1. LiveBERLIN

2. CONTENTS
Intoduction, by Beth Gray 04
Survival Guide, by Hannah Wooster 06
Public Transport, by Rosalind Perrett 10
History, by Yolanda George 14
Meet the Team 18
First published in May 2017 by City Travel Review, Inc.
All words and photos that appear in this guide are
property of the respective writers and photographers.
Copyright © 2017
Cover Photo and Design
Antonia Barraclough & Darian Prellwitz
Layout Editors
Antonia Barraclough & Darian Prellwitz
Editors
Beth Gray
Cassandra Casson
Rosalind Perrett
Writers
Beth Gray
Hannah Wooster
Rosalind Perrett
Yolanda George
Photography Manager
Antonia Barraclough
Special thanks to Lutz and Eamon.
3see full version at: berlintravelguideblog.wordpress.com

3. Berlin. Fuelled by its significant
past, the mix of historic sites and
modern culture is evident around
every corner. A city combined,
Berlin bridges the gap between
new and old. The Eastern Bloc
architecture contrasts to your
average European city, embracing
it’s regeneration after the war. The
freshness of freedom is apparent
in its acceptance, but its heritage
is not left forgotten.
Museums are in abundance,
from the sober and informative
Topography of Terror to some
of the most interactive, such as
the DDR Museum. You can take
a tour of the city by bike, bus or
walking tour (some are even free.)
Not only that, there are galleries
to relish at and historic sites by
the streetful. Or, if you are not the
‘museum-type’ fear not. There
are plenty of other entertainment
options, including the many bars
and clubs, or even the up-and-
coming escape rooms. General
areas and day-trips outside Berlin
have also been covered in this
guide, giving you insider info to
ensure you make the most of your
trip and choose the places you
want to go.
The beauty of Berlin is that it is
unlike your average city. Green
spaces are everywhere, from
parks and outdoor cinemas to
beer gardens and lakes, and it
doesn’t end there. Shopping malls
and vintage shops, flea markets
and of course the Ampelmann
shop cannot be missed. Then
INTRODUCTION
54
there’s the food. Now Germany
may not be best known for its
food but these reviews sure do
cover enough cafes, bakeries,
restaurants and food markets
to keep even the best foodie
satisfied.
Divided up by activity, this guide
will take you through the musts
(and must nots) of Berlin, all
with handy tips along the way.
There’s even a convenient
phrases section to ensure you
know the basics and don’t look
like a fool on arrival. The features
section will help you scrub up
on your history and get to know
the transport system before you
even get there, not to mention the
secrets you only hear from those
who have truly lived Berlin. The
aim of this guide is to help you
pick and choose from the many
attractions Berlin has to offer, and
recommend some of the lesser
known sites as well. Whether
you’re here for a day, a week or a
month, we want to make sure you
get the best experience
possible, don’t get stuck on the
ring route S-Bahn at peak time,
and taste as many pastries as
possible.
Our must-sees include the
expansive Tiergarten, the
Checkpoint Charlie Museum
and Sachsenhausen. There is
something for everyone with this
honest, step-by-step, student-
orientated guide. So what are
you waiting for? Grab yourself a
currywurst and live Berlin.

4. Berlin is one of the best
destinations for satisfying
wanderlust. In one city you’ve
got immense history, beautiful
architecture, sprawling green
spaces, and, for a bit of variety,
clubs in industrial power plants
pumping hard-core techno. But
like everywhere else in the world,
there are certain things you
should know before travelling
here. In this guide, you will find
a pretty comprehensive list of
tips to make your stay a lot more
enjoyable.
Accommodation
Accommodation in Berlin ranges
from the extortionate to the
dirt-cheap. When you’re young,
hostels tend to be the best type of
accommodation to go for. They’re
sociable and affordable, which
means you’ve got more pennies
to spare for beer and Bratwurst.
Here are a couple of hostels
to get you started when you’re
making one of the most important
decisions you will make before
coming to Berlin. You don’t want
any nasty surprises lurking in the
bathrooms or when you pull back
your duvet. We’ve all been there.
SURVIVAL GUIDE
Heart of Gold, from €17
per night.
This one’s tried and tested.
Centrally located in Berlin, it
offers sci-fi themed dorms,
private rooms and en-suites and
has been self-described as ‘like
a spaceship, but harmless’. It
comes with a whole list of things
you can get for free, including
a guided tour, and in true Berlin
style has both a bar and a beer
garden.
Wombats City Hostel, from
€12 per night.
Right in the centre of Berlin’s best
area for shopping, this hostel is
the best you can get for location.
Its rooftop bar has amazing views
of the city and has twice won the
award for
Cleanest Hotel Worldwide
Travel
Berlin’s travel system is faultless.
Here, having a 15 minute wait for
your train is a bad thing. Once
you overcome the incredibly
intimidating system, it’s a real
treat for those used to the poor
excuse for a train service that
is Southern Rail. Which is just
as well as Berlin is a huge city.
Expect at least two tram journeys
to get wherever you want to go.
Tickets for a whole range of stays
can be bought, valid on all forms
of transport in the given areas.
Just make sure you validate
these before starting your journey
to avoid an unfortunate run-in
with the ticket police. They take
this pretty seriously and the old
‘oh sorry, I’m a tourist’ excuse
won’t cut it here. To make things
slightly easier, a Berlin Welcome
Card, which provides free
travel on all forms of transport
within the city, reduced prices
to certain museums and more,
can be bought online. For more
information about this, and an
extensive overview of Berlin’s
travel system, we’ve got a whole
chapter on it.
76

5. Language
Luckily, the Germans are pretty good with their English. It’s fairly
rare to come across a person that speaks no English and the
younger generation tend to land somewhere between very good
and fluent. As is with all countries however, it’s considered pretty
rude to just assume someone speaks your language. So, to not
worsen our reputation for ignorance when it comes to talking to
people abroad, it’s good to learn a few phrases. Even if what you
do end up saying comes out as some mangled, indistinguishable
mess, they’re going to appreciate the effort.
English German
Bye Tchüss / Tschau
Excuse me Entschuldigung
I‘m sorry Es tut mir leid
Please/Thank you Bitte / Danke schön
Do you speak English? Sprechen Sie Englisch?
I don‘t speak German Ich spreche kein Deutsch
How much is that? Wie viel kostet das?
Do you sell...? Verkaufen Sie…?
Can I pay with a credit card? Darf ich mit Kreditkarte bezahlen?
I would like... Ich hätte gern…
The bill, please. Die Rechnung, bitte.
Where is...? Wo ist…?
Does this train/tram/bus go to...? Fährt diesen bahn/straβenbahn/bus
nach…?
Can you help me? Können Sie mir helfen?
Bottles: In Germany, you
can return your bottles and
glasses to the shop or bar to
receive a deposit back. It’s
fairly standard practice here
to leave your bottles by the
bin as a nice consideration to
the homeless people, who can
take them back to the shops
and get some money in return.
Bikes: When I took my first
steps in Berlin, I was surprised
by the amount of bikes here.
Although, with their impressive
dedication to bike paths, you
can see why so many people
choose to travel this way. But
Berlin’s cyclists are pretty
ruthless. Staying off the bike
paths is essential if you want to
return home with all your limbs
intact. These people travel at
impressive speeds.
Weather: In the short time I’ve
been in this city, the weather
has been fairly bipolar, so
it’s completely acceptable to
bring an umbrella and sun-
cream for one short break. If
you’re visiting in the winter
on the other hand, it may be
best to think again. Berlin’s
winters are infamous for the
amount of snow and sub-
zero temperatures. So unless
this kind of thing appeals to
you, come after May for more
agreeable temperatures.
Budgeting: Berlin is a fairly
easy city to make the most of if
you’re on a budget compared
to some of its European
counterparts. In terms of
food, meals in restaurants
can be found for around the
€10 mark, and Bratwurst and
various other street foods can
be bought from one of Berlin’s
many street vendors for around
€1. Beer can be bought from
supermarkets from as little as
€0.59.
In terms of activities, a lot of
the museums and galleries
have an entrance fee, although
this can often be subsidised
with student cards. The are
many places you can get into
for free however, such as
Sachsenhausen, a must for
anyone visiting Berlin in my
opinion, and a lot of Berlin’s
lakes, parks and various other
outdoor activities. All in all an
average day in Berlin can be
done at around €25 if you’re
really watching the pennies.
For those more willing to pay a
bit more for sit down meals and
attractions, €50 will be more
than enough.
98

6. TRANSPORT
The public transport system in
Berlin is, in general, remarkably
efficient. Certainly it is better than
a typical metro system, where
you can find your face temporarily
housed in the armpit of a fellow
commuter, your nasal passages
affronted by the mingling odours
of stale antiperspirant and
despair. You can hop on a tram or
U-Bahn train almost anywhere in
Berlin, and if you miss one, you
only have a matter of minutes to
wait on the unforgiving metal seat
before another turns up. Many of
the city’s most popular landmarks
are just a few stops away, and
once you’ve overcome your
initial trepidation, you’ll be criss-
crossing Kreuzberg with ease.
The main shortfall of the system
is that all-too-often, there aren’t
enough seats. As a result, you
are forced to adopt the stance of
a Roman flag-bearer, feet planted
far apart and hand gripping the
pole in front of you. Even in this
majestic position, at least once on
every journey you will lose your
balance and dignity and swing
like some kind of tram-Tarzan into
a total stranger. Aside from this,
however, there is really very little
to complain about. The system
is reliable, and you can usually
get where you need to go with
minimal fuss.
A few pointers – Buy a pass that
allows you unlimited travel on all
forms of transport. Without one,
you will have to do battle with the
on-board ticket machine, which
crouches in each carriage waiting
to rob you of your self-respect
and Euros. You should make
sure to always have this pass
with you, as some bus drivers
demand to see your ticket, and
plain-clothes inspectors board
trams on the look-out for fare-
dodgers. The penalty for failing
to display a valid ticket is around
€60 – convert that into currywurst
What you need to know:
There are four main forms of transport in Berlin: the U-Bahn, the
S-Bahn, buses, and trams/metrotrams.
U-Bahn
Berlin’s underground train network, or subway.
Runs Weekdays 4am-1am at 5 minute intervals, or at 10 minute
intervals at night. Runs Weekends 24 hours, mainly at 10 minute
intervals, or at 15 minute intervals at night.
U1- Warschauer Straße (Kreuzberg) to Uhlandstraße (Charlottenberg).
U2- Ruhleben (W) to Pankow (E).
U7- Spandau (W) to Rudow (E).
U6- Tegel (N) to Mariendorf (S).
U8- Wittenau (N) to Hermannstraße (S).
U9- Osloer Straße (Wedding) to Steglitz district.
currency and you’ll be feeling
the pangs of hunger if you’re a
student. Also, when boarding
a bus, always enter through
the front doors and exit via the
middle ones. This way, you avoid
upsetting the driver and having a
head-on collision with the elderly
gent boarding at Mollstraße.
Follow these tips and you’ve no
need to worry – you’ll be on the
right track.
1110

7. S-Bahn
Weekdays: 4.30am-1.30am, at 5, 10 or 20 minute intervals.
Weekends: 24 hours, at 5, 10 or 20 minute intervals, or at 30 minute
intervals at night.
S1- Orienberg to Wannsee.
S2- Bernau to Blankenfelde.
S25- Teltow to Hennigsdorf.
S41 (Ringbahn) – Circles the city in a clockwise direction.
S42 (Ringbahn) – Circles the city in an anticlockwise direction.
Buses
Metro buses M11-M85 run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 10 minute
intervals.
Night buses (marked with an ‘N’) run all night. Buses N1-N9 replace
the U-Bahn lines U1-U9 from Monday nights to Friday nights. Buses
N10-N97 replace the most important day lines.
Trams and Metrotrams
Trams and metrotrams run on different schedules. In the daytime,
metrotram lines run at least every 10 minutes, and at night, run at
30 minute intervals.
Taxis
030 44 33 22 – Taxi Funk Berlin
030 26 10 26 – Funk Taxi Berlin
030 26 30 00 – Quality Taxi
030 21 01 01 – Würfelfunk
030 21 02 02 – City Funk
The Berlin Welcome Card
The Berlin Welcome Card allows you free travel in zones AB, or ABC
including Schönefeld Airport. It also gives you discounts of up to 50%
at around 200 of Berlin’s sights and attractions. A 48 hour card will cost
you between €19.90-€21.90, whilst a 6 day card will cost you between
€42-€46. For full details on pricing, visit berlin-welcomeCard.de.
Where can I buy the Berlin Welcome Card?
Either online, or from one of Berlin’s airports. If you buy the card online,
you will receive a voucher, which must be redeemed in Berlin. Present
it at one of the Berlin Tourist Info Centres at the Central Railway
Station, TV Tower, Europa Centre, Brandenburg Gate, Kurfüstendamm
or at one of Berlin’s airports to get your card. You must then validate
the card by having it stamped in one of the machines available at bus
stops or rail stations. The validity period starts from the time stamped
by the machine.
Card ABC and extensions
If you are travelling to or from Schönefeld and Berlin Brandenburg
International Airports, or wish to visit Potsdam or other outlying towns,
then the Berlin Welcome Card ABC is recommended. Alternatively, you
can buy a Zone C supplement
ticket, and use this is combination with your AB transport pass.
BVG Call Centre:
Phone: +49 (0)30 19449
E-Mail: info@bvg.de
http://fahrinfo.bvg.de/Fahrinfo/bin/query.bin/en
https://www.berlin.de/en/public-transportation/
http://www.visitberlin.de/en/welcomecard
1312

8. Originally founded as a city in
1237, Berlin began life as a
humble trading town in medieval
Germany. In 1415 the town
came under the rule of Frederick
I, founder of the Hohenzollern
dysnasty that would ultimately
lead Germany until 1918. His son,
Frederick II laid the foundation
stone of Berlin’s Stadtschloss,
which would act as the ancestral
Hohenzollern home for years to
come. By the 1600s Berlin had
already earned a reputation
for its multicultural and diverse
nature, thanks in large part to
the settling of displaced Jewish
and Huguenot communities.
Existing buildings from this period
include the immensely popular
Charlottenburg Palace (built by
Frederick III for his wife Charlotte)
as well as the Charite, originally
built as a Hospital, and now
Berlin’s foremost medical training
school.
During the 17-1800s Berlin
entered its industrial revolution,
founding companies from
Siemens to Schwarzkopf that
are still continuing today. The
industrial revolution also brought
about civil unrest amongst many
of Germany’s poorer workers,
leading to multiple demonstrations
and uprisings. Many of these
took place at the barricades of
Berlin, such as the Berlin Arsenal
Riots. By 1871 nearly 1 million
people were living in Berlin, and
it was during this time that the
parliament of the German empire
was first formed.
The 1900s brought about an
unprecedented dark chapter in
Berlin’s history, beginning with
the commencement of World
War One in 1914. The Great War
affected Berlin in various ways,
ranging from food shortages
to personal loss, poverty and
general war weariness. 400,000
people protested in Berlin for
‘Peace and Bread’, a level of
civil unrest that ultimately lead
to the foundation of the Weimar
Republic in 1918. World War I’s
repercussions would continue to
be felt for many years however,
as the responsibility for the war
was left solely at Germany’s feet
and resulted in harsh economic
penalties that only became worse
during the Great Depression
of the 1920s. Families starved
under a series of unsuccessful
Chancellors, setting the political
climate for Adolf Hitler’s rise to
power.
The early 1900s were not all
negative however, as Berlin
enjoyed a huge culture boom
during this time, including; the
founding of the famous KaDeWe,
which made a name for itself as
a department retailer of luxury
products; the creation of the
world’s first autobahn, and the
premier of Brecht’s Threepenny
Opera.
On the back of Germany’s failing
industry, resentment over the
end of World War I, and mass
unemployment, the Nazi party
established power throughout the
late twenties. By 1932 Hitler had
achieved the highest position in
German government, ushering in
what was undoubtedly Germany’s
darkest hour. Almost immediately
dissenters of the Nazi party were
imprisoned in labour camps such
as Sachsenhausen and rights
to assembly and opinion were
removed following staged coups
HISTORY
1514

9. like the Reichstag Fire. Jewish-
owned businesses and services
were placed under a forced
boycott, before later being openly
attacked in the ‘night of broken
glass’ in 1938. The thirties also
saw the Berlin Olympic games,
and the stadium remains a
popular site for visitors today.
By 1939, Hitler’s aggressive
pursuit of German expansion
had led to the commencement of
World War II, during which time
some 450,000 tonnes of bombs
were dropped by the Allies on
Berlin, killing around 20,000 and
leaving 1.5 million homeless.
A 1942 Nazi conference in
the Wannsee district of Berlin
planned the ‘final solution’ for the
deportation of Germany’s Jewish
population to the death camps
of eastern Europe. In 1944 the
best known of the assassination
attempts on Hitler, Operation
Valkyrie, took place in what is
now The Memorial of German
Resistance. The Second World
War drew to a bloody close on the
streets in the soviet-led Battle of
Berlin on the 21st of April 1945-
by the 1st of May, Hitler was dead
and Berlin had fallen.
Following the Yalta conference
of 1945, Berlin was split into four
sections, with the Soviet victors
controlling the east and the
French, English and American
victors controlling the west.
Increasing tensions between
America and Russia resulted in
the divided Berlin becoming a
focal point of the developing Cold
War. This began with the Soviet
blockade of food to West Berlin (a
Western island inside the larger
soviet territory of East Germany).
It continued with rival rebuilding
of war damage, the Soviets
making what would later become
Karl Marx Allee while the West
developed both Tiergarten and
the Zoological gardens.
Tensions would continue to
grow to an all-time high, until
the erection of the Berlin Wall
overnight in August 1961, leading
East and West Berliners to live
drastically different lives until
its destruction in 1989. Military
Zones like Checkpoint Charlie
became subjects of international
focus during the infamous
Tank Stand Off. Suffocating
political climates gave way to an
increase in student activism and
the alternative cultures of the
1980s, for example, squatters in
1716
Kreuzberg and the rise of German
New Wave music.
The fall of the Berlin Wall
happened with relative speed,
following increased political
dissatisfaction with Gorbachev’s
leadership of the Soviet state and
the change of leadership in East
Berlin. Since becoming a reunified
state Berlin has worked hard to
become a modern and vibrant
city. A burst of popularity during
the club scene of the 1990s, a
successful World Cup in 2006 and
the foundation of Berlin fashion
week in 2007 has done much to
rehabilitate its image as a hub
for culture, arts and, of course,
history.

10. Photo Manager and Designer
Recently graduated from the University of
Sunderland with a degree in
photography, Antonia (23) wants to expand
her artistic abilities through design.
Copy Editor
Cassandra Casson (22) graduated
from Edinburgh Napier University
in 2016. She joined the City Travel
Review program to gain experience
in travel writing. In her spare time
Cassandra likes to read, go to the
cinema and write short stories.
Cassandra Casson
Designer
Darian (22) is from Seattle,
Washington. She recieved her
bachelor‘s degree in sociology.
Her German heritage brought her
to Berlin in order to learn about
where she came from and share her
enthusiasm with other travellers.
Darian Prellwitz
Feature Writer
Living near Brighton, Hannah (22)
currently works as a Barista and a
Marketing Intern for a sewing school.
She has a degree in Psychology but
is wanting to go into PR, specifically
in the travel sector.
Hannah Wooster
Copy Editor and Feature Writer
Rosalind (19) is a gap year student
who now lives in Bridport, Dorset.
She spent six weeks in the Spring in
Mongolia, completing a journalistic
internship. In October 2017 she
heads to Oxford University, where
she will begin her degree in English
Language and Literature.
Rosalind Perrett
Copy Editor and Feature Writer
Beth (21) is a recent graduate of
the University of Stirling in English
and Film & Media. With a passion
for writing, water-based sports and
tracking down the best hot chocolate,
she is yet to find her niche in life.
Beth Gray
Yolanda George
MEET
THE
TEAM
Feature Writer
Yolanda (22) is an aspiring writer
from Cheshire with a degree in
Classical Studies from Royal
Holloway University of London. Her
passions include history, theatre, art
and film.
Antonia Barraclough
1918